Patent · US Expired

Inventory monitoring apparatus employing counter for adding and subtracting objects being monitored

US5404384A · kind A · utility

134Cited by
14References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 25, 1993
Grant dateApr 4, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 25, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06Q40/12
  • WIPO fieldIT methods for management
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Inventory monitoring apparatus capable of real-time counting of objects added to or subtracted from a location whose inventory is to be monitored. The apparatus includes structure for supporting a plurality of objects and a lever adapted to be contacted and displaced by movement of the objects to and from the supporting structure. Movement of the lever in one direction triggers a switch which generates a signal indicating that an object is being added to the support structure. Similarly, opposite movement of the lever triggers another switch which generates a signal indicating that an object is being removed from the support structure. A microprocessor receives and counts the signals generated by the switches to provide a real-time total of the quantity of objects borne by the supporting structure.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.